P18. What is the highest level of school [the respondent] attended or is attending? And how many years of school did he/she complete at that level?

P18. Highest level of school and years attended
The question should only be asked to household members age 3 years or older. Two types of questions should be asked: highest level of school and number of years of schooling.

The highest level should be irrespective of whether or not he/she has actually written or passed any examination at that level. It should be irrespective of whether or not one is currently in school or not.

The enumerator should also shade, in the second row, the appropriate code for the number of years attended at that particular level.

Example: If a man/woman reached but did not complete standard 7, he/she should be considered as having attended 7 years of primary school. Thus, Shade code 1 for highest level and 7 for number of years attended. If one repeated standard 8, shade 1 for highest level attended and 8 for years attended.

Most people who left school before 1966 will tend to give the names of the classes used when they were at school and which are no longer being used. In this case, before you enter the number referring to the highest class reached, you must ask for the year in which they left school. This will enable you to convert their answers to the modern class names through the use of an "Educational conversion chart" which is on page 45 of this manual. For instance, Sub A and Sub B are to be recorded as standards 1 and 2 respectively; old standard 5 as standard 7; old standard 8 as form 2, respectively, etc. You should always check whether the person is giving old class names before making an entry in the questionnaire.

Some people may not remember the highest class or standard they reached, and others may have been educated in another country where different names are given to classes. In such cases you should ask how many years they spent at school and shade the appropriate code for the class from the chart. Bear in mind that pupils sometimes repeat classes and where appropriate you should ask a question about this. In particular you must not assume that because a person spent more than eight years at school then it means he/she attended a secondary school. You will only record him as attending secondary school if he/she confirms that he actually did so.